Head coverings



Nov. 5, 1957 J. H. SPREIREGEN HEAD COVERINGS Filed Aug. 19, 1955 United States Patent HEAD COVERINGS Jacques Henry Spreiregen, London, England Application August 19, 1955, Serial No. 529,395

1 Claim. (c1. 2-195 This invention relates to head coverings.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved head covering which combines some of the advantages of appearance and protection of the traditional peaked cloth cap with the advantages in manufacture and comfort obtained with a one-piece covering formed by knitting, shrinking and felting, and forming on an appropriate former, without sewing together separate elements.

According to the invention a one-piece head covering comprising a single piece of knitted and felted fabric forming a one-piece cap with an upper portion and a lower substantially annular portion contiguous with said upper portion and lying within the periphery of the upper portion is characterised in that a crescent-shaped stiffener is located inside said cap between said upper portion and said lower portion, said upper portion and said lower portion are connected together along a line so that the stiffener is enclosed and a peak is formed, a slit is made in said upper portion in the vicinity of and above and parallel or substantially parallel to said line along which said upper portion and said lower portion are connected together, then the edge zones of said upper portion along said slit are laid together or overlapped and joined together so that the slit is closed and said upper portion is drawn forward and the cap has the shape of a conventional multi-piece cloth cap with a peak proper attached. The upper portion may have an integral forwardly-projecting crescent-shaped flap, the lower portion being correspondingly shaped so that the single piece of fabric has a crescent-shaped pocket to accommodate the stiffener. Preferably said upper portion and said lower portion are connected together along a line very close to the rear edge of the stiffener; this line may with advantage extend all along the rear edge of the stiffener, and the connection may be effected by stitching. The laid together or overlapped edge zones of said upper portion along the slit may also be joined together by stitching. The upper portion may be further drawn forward and connected, for example by stitching or by press-studs, to the fabric covering the top of the stiffener, thereby producing the narrow peak effect sometimes referred to as cheese-cutter style; this effect can also be enhanced, simulated or produced by suitable positioning of the slit and laying to gether or overlapping the edge zones along the slit.

In plan view the covering is preferably of somewhat oval form, although it may be circular or substantially circular. Buckram or any other suitable material may be used to form the stiffener. The covering may be provided with a head-band of leather or other suitable material and/ or with a lining in known manner. Preferably the fabric of the covering is formed wholly of wool, and it may be knitted and shrunk and felted in known manner.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated by way of example,

Figures 1, 2, 4 and 6 being diagrammatic sectional elevations of a head covering according to the invention at different stages of manufacture,

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Figure 3 an underneath view corresponding to Figure 2,

Figure 5 a front view of the covering corresponding to Figure 4,

Figure 7 a sectional detail view to a larger scale of the front part of the completed covering, and

Figure 8 is a side view of a piece of fabric formed with a pocket.

Figures 1 and 8 each show a single piece of fabric formed by knitting, felting and shrinking to shape on a former in known manner, the piece of fabric being the basis of a cap comprising an upper crown portion 10 and a contiguous substantially annular portion 11 lying within the periphery of the portion 10, the line A indicating approximately the line of transition from portion 10 to portion 11. In Figure 8 the upper portion 10 has an integral forwardly-projecting crescent-shaped .fiap 106, the lower portion 11 being correspondingly shaped With a corresponding integral flap 116 which is integral also with the flap 106 so that the single piece of fabric has a crescent-shaped pocket formed by the flaps 106 and 116 to receive a stiffener.

Figures 2 and 3 show a substantially crescent-shaped stiffener 12 located between the upper portion 10 and the lower portion 11, the portion 10 having been pulled down and secured to the portion 11 by a line of stitching 13 close to the rear edge of the stiffener 12 so that the stiffener 12 is enclosed and the fabric is stretched over the stiffener and a peak is formed; in the case where the fabric is formed as in Figure 8 the stiffener 12 is of course located in the pocket formed by the flaps 106 and 116, the portion 10 being secured by stitching to the portion 11 as with the fabric of Figure 1.

Figures 4 and 5 show how a slit 14 is made in the upper portion 10, the slit 14 being parallel or approximately parallel to and somewhat above the line of stitching 13 along the rear edge of the stiffener 12.

In Figure 6 is shown the manner in which the upper portion 10 is drawn forward and the edge zones or strips 101 and 102 of the portion 10 are laid together and secured together by means of a line of stitching 15. It will be noted that the upper edge strip 101 is curled upwards so that both the cut edges of the edge zones 101 and 102 face into the interior of the cap, and the upper portion 10 is rolled forwards and downwards so that the stitching 15 is hidden from the front.

Figure 7 illustrates part of the completed head covering; the upper portion 10 is drawn further forward and secured by tacking stitches 16 to the part of the fabric which covers the top of the stiffener 12. This stitching 16 can be omitted if desired, or it may be located anywhere between the front and rear edges of the stiffener or two or more lines of stitching 16 may be provided. A head-band 17 ofleather is secured in conventional manner by stitching 18. No lining is illustrated, but a lining can of course be provided in the usual manner if required.

Among the advantages achieved by the invention are that the peaked shape protects the eyes and face of the wearer and is attractive in appearance, and the knitted and felted head covering is without seams, is of an attractive texture, can be dyed to desirable shades and colours, is adequately proof against wind and showers, is comfortable and light in weight and is also long wearing. The obviation of the expensive and intricate manual operations involved in the making of the conventional cap of woven fabric cut in a number of pieces and a separate peak sewn together is very advantageous, and manufacture of high quality head coverings in large numbers, accurate in respect of size and shape, is greatly facilitated by the one-piece construction.

What I claim is:

A method of making a head covering, comprising the steps of knitting and felting a single piece of fabric in the form 06 a one-piececap with an upper crown portion and a lower substantially annular portion contiguous with said upper crown portion and lying within the periphery of the upper crown portion,1ocating a crescentshaped stiffener inside said cap between said upper crown portion and said lower portion, connecting together said upper crown portion and said lower portion together along-alineadjacent to and extending along the inner edge ofi said stiffener so that the stiffener is enclosed and a peak is formed, forming. a slit in said upper crown portion in the vicinity of and above and substantially parallel tosaid line along which said upper crown portion and said lower portion are connected together, laying together the edge zones of said upper crown portion along said slit, and joining said edge zones together so that the slit is closed and said. upper crown portion is 4 drawn, forward. over said peak and the cap has the shape of a conventional multi-piece cloth cap comprising said peak and said upper crown portion extending forward over said peak.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

